Of dream Reality…
David Bowie has just completed the second of two triumphant shows at the Sydney Entertainment Centre in NSW. Charly, our lovely lady reporter in Oz, has managed to get the set list to me, even before the final notes of Ziggy Stardust have decayed into the ether.
The big surprise at this show was the inclusion of one of my own particular favourites, Quicksand. Off the top of my head, I think that’s the first time that one’s been performed since ’97, and it’s certainly the first performance on this tour. I know somebody will correct me on that if I’ve got it wrong.
As ever, pop back a little later on to see what Charly has to say about the show itself. (See previous news items for updates she has already sent in.)
In the meantime, here’s the 28-song set list, that I know some of the message board users simply have to have, before they can even begin to function properly, and attempt to make it through the day:
Sydney February 21st 2004
01 Rebel Rebel
02 New Killer Star
03 Afraid
04 Fame
05 Cactus
06 Panic In Detroit
07 Pablo Picasso
08 All The Young Dudes
09 China Girl
10 A New Career In A New Town
11 The Loneliest Guy
12 The Man Who Sold The World
13 Hallo Spaceboy
14 Sunday
15 Under Pressure
16 Life On Mars?
17 Looking For Water
18 Quicksand
19 Days
20 Let’s Dance
21 White Light, White Heat
22 Ashes To Ashes
23 I’m Afraid Of Americans
24 “Heroes”
(Encore)
25 Bring Me The Disco King
26 Five Years
27 Hang On To Yourself
28 Ziggy Stardust
UPDATE: Here’s another of Charly’s reports… we’re gonna miss you when the tour gets to Perth, girl!
Hobbits and Professors. By Charly.
So, this show started the same as last night’s with Rebel and New Killer Star. No Reality, but Afraid instead, followed by Fame. David then said “let’s have some names (looking down at the front) – Meren! Any other Merens in tonight?…… A lot of blokes answered that!”
After Cactus, David shouted “that was a song about a dress. You wait ’til I start songs about women!” Panic In Detroit was a welcome newcomer, only performed in the US so far. Pablo Picasso also returned and tonight’s rendition was excellent, even though he fluffed the words slightly.
During All The Young Dudes he did one of his kicks as he sang “we can love” raising a small cheer from the somewhat subdued audience. Again, he praised our singing and suggested we do China Girl on our own… as ever, he wasn’t impressed with our attempt!
The guy who untangles David’s microphone cable was attending to his task and Bowie said “This is Tristan. Tristan is a hobbit, I bought him in New Zealand!” A New Career In A New Town through to Sunday then followed and the band intro caused a little merriment. “On keyboards – Mike Garson. He looks a dream in padded shoulders and stack heeled boots!”…… “Kat Russell, a professor…. Gerry Leonard, a professor….. what a bunch of shit I’m talking!” You said it David.
Life on Mars was excellent tonight, as usual. On it’s conclusion he said: “Thank you, I’ll give you a Eurovision kiss” and proceeded to swing his arms across as if doing just that. Looking For Water was bouncy and then a great surprise which David said they hadn’t done on this tour yet – Quicksand. He did mumble one line a little but pretty much sang it perfectly. Not bad considering he doesn’t use his lyric book anymore.
He again dedicated Days to his stool and then reintroduced Let’s Dance into the set saying that this one had connections with Sydney. Suppose that was an apt one to sing then, and it has been a while. The set ended as usual before Bring Me The Disco King as the first encore. No Suffragette City tonight, but Hang On To Yourself instead.
See you in Adelaide….
A Reality Tour continues at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Monday 23rd. There seems to be a pattern emerging here: Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Sydney Entertainment Centre, Adelaide Entertainment Centre, these Aussies are nothing if not consistent!